Marriage costs are rising in L.A. County - Learn the reasons behind the increase
Rise in Marriage License Fees in Los Angeles County
Starting October 17, couples planning to get married in Los Angeles County will see an increase in the cost of marriage licenses and county-officiated civil wedding ceremonies. According to a board letter signed by L.A. County Clerk Dean Logan, the decision to boost these fees is due to the increased costs of performing all Register-Recorder/County Clerk's office services.
The price for a public marriage license in Los Angeles County will increase from $91 to $176, a 93% increase. The fee for a confidential marriage license will rise from $85 to $220, a 160% increase. The fee for a marriage ceremony will increase from $35 to $44. These changes are expected to generate more than $5 million in additional revenue for Los Angeles County.
For comparison, the average cost for a marriage license in San Diego County is $129 for a public license and $144 for its confidential option. Orange County has the lowest fees at $61 and $66 for a public and confidential marriage license, respectively.
The L.A. County Clerk's office, which files marriage licenses, also oversees election administration, voter file maintenance, real property document recording, and vital records custody and maintenance. The agency received a budget of over $338 million for the 2023-24 fiscal year to perform its election services for a county with more than a million registered voters.
The last time Los Angeles County increased its marriage services fees was in 2009. The fee increases go into effect on October 17, and they may require couples to spend more from their savings. The responsibility for imposing higher marriage fees in Los Angeles County typically lies with the county government or the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s office, which manages marriage licenses; the fee increase set in effect on October 17 was likely implemented to cover increased administrative costs or related expenditures, though specific reasons require confirmation from official county sources or announcements.
County officials are hoping to collect more from would-be newlyweds to help close the financial gap. The L.A. County Clerk's office has been running a deficit that has grown over the last few years, according to budget records. The total cost for a public marriage license, a county-officiated marriage ceremony with witnesses, will be approximately $422. The cost to visit the L.A. Zoo has been increased, though no specific cost was mentioned in the provided paragraph.
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